This invention relates to dumping devices, and more particularly to a high-level dumping apparatus.
High-level dumping apparatus or dumpers of various constructions are known in the art.
Some particular high-level dumpers known to the applicant are the Hercules High-Level Dumpers made by Hercules Industries of Nashville, Tenn. One typical Hercules High-Level Dumper Model HI-120 includes an upright standard having a pair of opposed upright parallel carriage tracks supporting the rollers of a vertically movable carriage, reciprocably moved by a power actuator, such as hydraulic ram. A load-carrying chute assembly including a pair of upward and rearwardly inclined tilt arms is pivotally connected to the vertically movable carriage. The upper portion of the upright frame carries a pair of trip or pivot rollers in the upward path of the free ends of the tilt arms. As the chute assembly is moved upward by the power driven carriage, the tilt arms engage the trip rollers to pivot the chute assembly in a vertical overhead arc to dump the load carried by the chute assembly at a high level.
Although the above Hercules High-Level Dumpers are successful devices, nevertheless they have certain limitations.
One limitation is the quantity of the load which can be carried and tilted by each dumper in view of the short lever arms between the trip roller and the pivot point of the chute assembly, for a given power package.
Another limitation is the extensive horizontal travel of the pouring lip of the chute assembly as it swings through the dumping arc, thereby requiring a large target area to receive the poured or dumped contents of the chute assembly.
Because of the extensive horizontal projection of the tilt arms as the chute assembly is pivoted through the dumping arc, an unnecessary amount of clearance is required between each above Hercules dumper and the receptacle for receiving the dumped contents of the chute assembly.